forgeon.org
Javacia Harris Bowser an award-winning freelance journalist, essayist, and entrepreneur based in Birmingham and Kerry Schrader Co-founder/CEO of Mixtroz are two recent additions to Forge Breast Cancer Survivor Center Board of Directors. They join current board members Susan Sellers, CEO of United Ability, and Robin DeMonia, EVP of Direct Communications.
A total of five individuals were named to the board. “They bring a diversity of perspective, experience, and knowledge to the table, which will make us a stronger organization – better able to serve all Alabama breast cancer patients, survivors, and co-survivors,” said Lauren Roberts, Forge BCSC Executive Director.
The new appointees to the Forge Board of Directors are:
–Bowser who is a graduate of the journalism programs at the University of Alabama and the University of California at Berkeley, Bowser has written for a number of local and national media outlets including USA Today, Good Grit magazine, Birmingham magazine, The Birmingham Times, B-Metro magazine, and Birmingham’s NPR affiliate WBHM 90.3 FM. Her forthcoming essay collection, Find Your Way Back, explores how she has used writing to cope with breast cancer and everything else life has thrown her way.
— Schrader, BBA, MBA, is the 37th Black female to ever raise over $1M in pre-seed funding. She has more than 25 years’ experience with large companies including Ford, Alcoa, and Sears Holdings Corporation. Kerry, a breast cancer survivor, and her daughter were named “Powerful Women” by Entrepreneur Magazine on their inaugural list and recently named on Forbes’ Next1000 list.
–Wayne Carmello-Harper, is a former Catholic priest who served in the Diocese of Birmingham as a parish priest, pastor, and vice chancellor. Prior to joining Ascension St. Vincent’s, Wayne was president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama for 13 years.
–Dottie Pak is the General Counsel of UAB Health System, having joined UAB after practicing for 26 years at the law firm of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. Dottie is a member of the advisory board of the Women’s Breast Health Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham and was involved in the formation of Forge as a stand-alone 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in Alabama.
–Christy Parrozzo, RN, BSN, is a graduate of UAB nursing school. She started her nursing career in oncology at Children’s Hospital and has been with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBSAL) for the past 14 years.
Forge supports, empowers, and improves quality of life for Alabama breast cancer patients, survivors, and those who love them from the day of diagnosis through the rest of life. For more info on Forge, visit: https://forgeon.org.
